Southampton F.C - Empty seats?

[SpursManChris]

I think they have done the right thing to be fair.

They knew they were going to lose certain players but they set out their expectations to the buying clubs and sold early so as not to affect their pre season and enable them time to strengthen their squad.

Now they have resleased a statement shutting up shop (see what happens I guess).

Considering it was going to happen anyway they have done things right so far IMO.

How was it "going to happen anyway"?

 

[Gbspurs]

How was it "going to happen anyway"?

You think they were going to be able to resist all summer? Players would have forced it eventually, as we have seen before.

 

[Bobbins]

I just think its a sad reflection of modern football - where you're basically not allowed to have a talented young squad and threaten the top sides, as all the big clubs will just come along and smash insane money to deliberately break up your team, remove you as a threat, and profit from your youth system.

It's a more extreme version of what Fergie repeatedly tried to do to us (Carrick then Berba each time we got close to the top) and it's proof that the balance of power at the top will now never change. Ferguson and United in particular have spent the last ten years now simply letting other teams take the risk of buying unknown foreigners or bringing through English youth, and just buying them for inflated fees once they've been a proven success for half a season. They no longer put any effort into their own youth or scouting systems.

And individually, £30m+ and £160k a week for a player who was legally still a child a year ago is disgusting and United should be ashamed - where is their youth system these days that they have to poach from the likes of Southampton?

Honestly football is just a horrible business in so many ways now.

 

[kr1978]

I think it depends, if they reinvest most/all of the money they have received then they should be more than fine. As someone else mentioned they are rumoured to have a better prospect than Luke Shaw coming through in left back.

According to figures in the press They have received £30m for Shaw, £25m for Lallana, possibly £20m for Lovren etc so they are getting absolute top dollar for the players they are letting go and with those prices they should be able to replace them IMO.

They could well be in for a year of rebuilding to a certain degree but if they invest in the right players and are patient then they should easily be able to get back to last years level.

 

[SpursManChris]

They could well be in for a year of rebuilding to a certain degree but if they invest in the right players and are patient then they should easily be able to get back to last years level.

And then sell off their new stars.

 

[yankspurs]

They've already gotten about £60m between 3 players. And could potentially get another 50-60m off of Lovren, Schneiderlin and Rodriguez. Reinvest properly and they'll be fine.

 

[SpursManChris]

They've already gotten about £60m between 3 players. And could potentially get another 50-60m off of Lovren, Schneiderlin and Rodriguez. Reinvest properly and they'll be fine.

I wonder, how do you define "fine"?

 

[RichieS]

I don't know any Southampton fans but they must be damn near suicidal now.

I imagine they all expected 2 or 3 of the highest profile players to go, but you'd think the club would be fighting tooth and nail to keep players like Chambers.

What on Earth is going on down there?!

 

[Ribble]

What on Earth is going on down there?!

Their owner died a few years ago, and it was he who Cortese had worked with to firstly rescue the club and then revive them. With Cortese now out of the way the (fomer, and now owner herself) owner's daughter is now in charge of everything, and she doesn't seem to give a toss about football. I'd not be at all surprised if, instead of all that money going into buying players, it goes straight into paying back debt owed to the owner from the years returning to the top, with the club subsequently being put up for sale.

 

[FinnYid]

And we were told they had shitty squad and it was all down to Poch they ended up as 8th

 

[nailsy]

I know that 'every player has a value' but surely you get to a stage where you just have to start saying no to bids or you're going to end up with eight or nine new players in your team and risk relegation.

 

[tooey]

To be honest, from a strictly business point of view they're doing exactly the right things. Lovren is not worth 20m, Lallana is not worth 25m and Shaw is certainly not with 30m at this point in time. They are riding the wave of over-achieving last season and reaping the benefits. However from a fan's point of view I can definitely see the frustration. I honestly hope they re-invest some of that money and continue to be successful, any team that produces the amount of British talent they have over the last 10 years is fine by me.

 

[Gbspurs]

I think it's all ok apart from chambers really. That one doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[WalkerboyUK]

I think it's all ok apart from chambers really. That one doesn't make a lot of sense.

A lot of money been paid for Chambers.
Wenger had Jenkinson down as the "next big thing", yet hardly played him and is now shipping him off to Hull.
You'd think these young English players would learn from what other English players have done to their careers by chasing the money....
He will feature only in the English cup games, while Debuchy gets all the PL and CL matches.

 

[Gbspurs]

A lot of money been paid for Chambers.
Wenger had Jenkinson down as the "next big thing", yet hardly played him and is now shipping him off to Hull.
You'd think these young English players would learn from what other English players have done to their careers by chasing the money....
He will feature only in the English cup games, while Debuchy gets all the PL and CL matches.

Yeah I agree. It is a lot of money but considering the lack of English defenders (I have read that they think Chambers might be a CB) meaning he could be double that in a few years if he kicked on, the fact that they don't need the money and that it's unlikely Chambers would cause problems if they turned it down, makes it odd.

All I can think is they don't rate him as highly as arsenal do.

 

[LSUY]

Another departure from the Southampton Development Academy For The Top 5 Teams.

But seriously, the talent Southampton is developing is ridiculous and shows up the bigger sides. Aside from Ledders when was the last time our academy produced a top player? They've produced Bale, Shaw, Walcott, Ox and Shearer while we've produced Carr, O'Hara, Stephen Clemence and Dean Marney.

 

[Darth Vega]

Hard not to feel sorry for them. This mass exodus is unprecedented. I know they've brought in a couple of players and maybe if they spend all the money they've collected from sales they'll do quite well but with a new manager and potentially 6/7 new players to integrate, they might have a poor season if they don't hit the ground running.

 

[WalkerboyUK]

It's a bit like a Viking invasion...

"Their leader has gone?? Let's rape and pillage the fuck out of them then..."

 

[van_Pommel]

I don't see Chambers as worth anywhere near that much. I reckon Wenger has one eye on the homegrown rules. Chambers is versatile so could be a squad player for years if he can keep him happy.

 

[nailsy]

Another departure from the Southampton Development Academy For The Top 5 Teams.

But seriously, the talent Southampton is developing is ridiculous and shows up the bigger sides. Aside from Ledders when was the last time our academy produced a top player? They've produced Bale, Shaw, Walcott, Ox and Shearer while we've produced Carr, O'Hara, Stephen Clemence and Dean Marney.

Kane, Livermore, caulker are all ours so not quite as bad as you suggest. Haven't Southampton got a massive area for selecting young players while we have to share our patch of London?